Eight awards were handed out at the end of the 30th Baltic Sea Docs (BSD) which ran September 6 to 11, and which marked three decades of supporting documentary filmmakers from the Baltic Sea region, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and beyond. A total of 26 documentary projects were selected for this year’s edition.
Speaking before the event, Forum manager and member of the project selection committee, Zane Balčus reflected on this year’s overall selection: “The theme of borders is strongly present in the submitted projects this year, both through engagement with current geopolitical developments and within historical contexts. This reflects the fragile and unstable state in which we are living today,” she said.
“While personal stories in which the filmmaker is also the main protagonist or an active narrator are not a new trend, this approach was also particularly noticeable this year. It offers insight both into the realities faced by families today and into earlier historical periods that have affected the filmmakers and their loved ones,” Balčus added.
In preparation for the pitches, the selected project teams joined a workshop led by international industry experts – the experienced documentary film consultant Tue Steen Müller and documentary developer Mikael Opstrup (Denmark). The tutor team also included filmmakers Alexander Nanau (Romania/Germany) and Emma Davie (UK), as well as film editor Phil Jandaly (Sweden).
The forum was attended by film sales agents, representatives of international television broadcasters, festivals, and producers from across Europe and other parts of the world. Among them were representatives of Japan’s NHK, Germany’s SWR, Ireland’s TG4, as well as film sales companies Rise and Shine (Germany), filmdelights (Austria), Mediawan (France), CAT&Docs and others.
For the first time at Baltic Sea Docs, ARTE presented an award to support the development of one of the projects. Following the first ARTE European Talent Development Award handed out in DocsBarcelona earlier in May, ARTE continues to scout for stories and talents in regional hubs, hence the new prize at Baltic Sea Docs. Selected from the main pitch, the winning team of director by Jūratė Samulionytė, and producers Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė and Danielė Kunčinaitė received a €10,000 development grant in exchange for a first-look deal for their project The Two of Us (pictured). The project also picked up the Movies That Matter Award. The film’s synopsis reads how, to the world, journalist Vitalius and choir tenor Albinas present themselves as father and son, though they have been lovers for more than half a century.
The Coming Soon project I See No Death by Ukrainian director Yevhen Titarenko and produced by Natalia Khazan and Guntis Trekteris, picked up the TV3 Group Award. The film follows a new group of Ukrainian military drone pilots for whom death gradually stops being an event and becomes a job.
All winners at the 30th Baltic Sea Docs
- Baltic Sea Docs Award: The Shepherd’s Son by Nurlan Hasanli (Azerbaijan). Producer: Turkan Huseyn (Ultra Production)
- ARTE European Talent Development Award: Two of Us by Jūratė Samulionytė (Lithuania). Producers: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Danielė Kunčinaitė (Just a moment)
- BBposthouse Award: Going Underground by Armands Začs (Latvia/Estonia/Finland). Producers: Dārta Vijgrieze, Gints Grūbe (Mistrus Media), Allfilm, Making Movies
- Sheffield DocFest Award: Lunatics by Saila Kivelä (Finland). Producer: Ida Karoskoski (Wacky Tie Films)
- Movies That Matter Award: Two of Us by Jūratė Samulionytė. Producers: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Danielė Kunčinaitė (Just a moment)
- IDFA & Baltic Sea Docs Collaboration Award: Borderline by Ville Seppänen, Johan Huimerind (Estonia/Finland). Producer: Johan Huimerind (DOKFILM)
- East Doc Platform Award: 35 Letters by Zuzanna Solakiewicz (Poland). Producer: Maria Krauss (Plesnar & Krauss Films)
- TV3 Group Award: I See No Death by Yevhen Titarenko (Ukraine/Latvia). Producers: Natalia Khazan, Guntis Trekteris (Braha Production Company/Ego Media)
Special events were held to celebrate the 30th edition of Baltic Sea Docs. On 9 September, a series of discussions reflected on the development of the documentary film sector in the Baltic Sea region and in the wider European context, while also looking ahead to future opportunities and exploring ways of reaching more diverse and younger audiences through different formats. Additionally, in cooperation with the association Avantis, the forum hosted a photography showcase by Ukrainian filmmaker Roman Bondarchuk and an exhibition dedicated to his work. An artists’ talk by Ukrainian director Roman Bondarchuk and screenwriter/producer Darya Averchenko focused on the relationship between film and reality.
Baltic Sea Docs is organized by the National Film Centre of Latvia and supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA programme and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
